Spatially Lapped Encoding for Seamless 8K Video
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video encoding techniques for high-resolution formats like 4K and 8K suffer from visual artifacts such as discontinuities and seams due to the spatial segmentation approach, which subdivides frames into smaller regions encoded independently.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of spatially lapped encoding, where frame regions are encoded with overlapping pixels, allowing for the adjustment of encoding parameters to minimize visual discontinuities and create seamless transitions between encoded regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If spatial segmentation is used to encode high-resolution video frames by combining multiple lower-resolution encoders, then the encoding capability for high resolutions (4K, 8K) is improved, but visual artifacts such as discontinuities and seams appear at the boundaries of encoded regions
Solution Approach 1:
The video frame is divided into multiple smaller regions that can be encoded independently by separate encoders. Each region is processed separately but with coordinated encoding parameters to ensure seamless transitions at boundaries, resolving the contradiction by enabling high-resolution encoding through parallel processing while maintaining visual continuity
Solution Approach 2:
Encoding parameters are specifically adjusted for boundary regions to match adjacent regions, ensuring that transition areas have optimized quality. This local optimization prevents visual artifacts at seams while allowing standard encoding in non-boundary areas, thus maintaining overall productivity while eliminating harmful visual effects
2Productivity
If frame regions are encoded independently without overlapping, then encoding efficiency is improved, but visual discontinuities occur at the boundaries between regions
Solution Approach 1:
Encoding parameters for boundary regions are predetermined and coordinated before actual encoding occurs. By pre-planning the parameter alignment for overlapping regions, the system maintains encoding efficiency while ensuring visual continuity, as the parameter coordination is prepared in advance rather than requiring complex real-time adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
Overlapping regions serve as intermediary zones between independently encoded frame regions. These overlapping areas act as transition buffers where encoding parameters are carefully coordinated to bridge the gap between regions, eliminating visual discontinuities while preserving the benefits of independent region encoding
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are described for high-resolution video encoding using spatial lapping to reduce visual discontinuities within video frames. A plurality of frame regions may be encoded to form a higher-resolution video frame. For example, a 7680×4320 video frame may be constructed from four 4096×2160 frame regions arranged into a 2×2 grid. The encoding of the frame regions may be done in parallel. The encoded frame regions may be arranged such that the frame regions lap one another at one or more overlapping regions. Encoding of border regions adjacent to the overlapping regions may be done based on an encoding parameter (e.g., quantization parameter) of pixels of an overlapping region to determine an encoding parameter of pixels of the border regions to reduce visual artifacts at seams between frame regions and overlapping regions.